Defence Green Paper and Discussion Tool

[defenceheadquarters]

A Green Paper posing fundamental questions for the future of Defence ahead of the Strategic Defence Review (SDR), which will take place after this year's General Election, has been published today.

You can find out more about the Green Paper here.

You can download the complete text of the document here.

And if you have any comments to make on any part of it, you can have your say using the tools on this site. This tool gives you the opportunity to pick any chapter and provide your comments.

This was posted by the Ministry of Defence.

[skippedonce]

Not that I want to take anything away from RW brethren, but there's not a FW aircraft picture in the new Green Paper: a clue to future emphasis?

[Jackonicko]

What's the betting that this whole exercise is being driven by the 'tools' in the Treasury.

[navibrator]

I also noted no specific RAF picture within the Green Paper. I also noted that Sky had a Jaguar on their backscreen when discussing the Paper! The paper is overall a good starter - let us hope any change is managed well with the impact on people, who have served their country well, kept at the forefront of the decision makers minds.

[Widger]

and hiding away near the back is the paragraph that leads the way for getting rid of Married Quarters..stated in some caring terms like, "assisting in home ownership". Of note, most of the continuous attitude surveys regularly post the same question.."would you like to own your own home?" Well of course I bl**dy well would, I would like to have a Land Rover Discovery as well please but I can't afford it, unless you move the whole of the UK military to Scotland, and pay generous re-location packages as well!!!

This significant retention positive tool SFA must be saved from the axe.

[Gnd]

Phew - at least the Army v Navy looks safe post SDR

[Hot Charlie]

This significant retention positive tool SFA must be saved from the axe.

Quite, as you say however this paragraph hiding on page 38 is eye opening.

The provision of accommodation, for example, is a potential disincentive to home ownership and may not represent the best investment we can make in helping families and personnel deal with the demands of Service life.

I'm glad to know the provision of adequate and well sized SFA at a fair price is "disincentivising" me from buying and living in a small box, which one could only afford a fair distance from work.

[Jabba_TG12]

They cannot seriously be considering that. Although I did hear something about the star ranks grace and favour mansions being given the chop recently, but I cant see it working on the kind of scale that would make any difference financially... I mean, isnt all the stock owned by Annington anyway and leased back?

The only way I could see it working is if they effectively cut the services out of it and try and enter into some sort of deal with Annington where the rents are subsidised, rather than open commercial market rates... and for those who do buy where they are posted, what if we end up with market conditions as they are now, where personnel could end up in negative equity and either being compelled to leave or turn down postings (if thats possible, not that theres many left) not to mention satisfying stricter mortgage lending criteria - where is your average serviceman going to get a deposit together? Or are they going to follow the old Navy's example of encouraging home ownership earlier in your career?

Well, I guess, if they want to reduce the size of the services, thats going to be one way to do it.

It seems certainly strategically that there has been some thought gone into it and some hard questions are asked, but... I dunno. Got to go away and sleep on it.

[St Johns Wort]

Sky News

'Defence Chief Sir Jock Stirrup Says Two Armed Services Could Merge'

Excellent! About time the RAF got the Marine Branch back.

[Gnd]

I thought the Marine branch had already taken the RAF 'on board'? The Army will be pleased to get its air branch back me thinks.

[Widger]

Not wishing to smother debate but, there are several thread son the subject of mergers on here already. There is a massive threat to military terms and conditions hidden in this paper and a clear campaign to get rid of all married quarters.


YOU SHOULD ALL BE PROTESTING!

[minigundiplomat]

If T & C's change. Those that like them can transfer onto the new version. Those that don't can walk (with suitable sum as the military is effectively breaking it's contract).

Likewise the amalgamation of the RAF into the other 2 branches.

'You are in the Army now'

'No I'm not. I joined the RAF, if I don't want to transfer, you can't make me. And if there isn't going to be a RAF, then you are making me redundant'

'Errrr.....'

If you do want to transfer, good on ya. If you don't, any lawyer who came bottom of their class at Law School (where is Pr00ne?) will be able to taxi a C17 through the holes in the MOD's case.

It will be a short term exodus on redundancy followed by a fresh start with a new set of people for the future I fear. Hope it happens after we withdraw from Afg, as all the corporate knowledge will disappear overnight.

Hasn't really been thought through, has it?

[top_cover]

Redundancy isnt as quite clear cut as you would think, or choosing to leave due to Ts & Cs changing,
Employees not entitled to redundancy payment
If you fall into the following categories then you are not entitled to receive redundancy pay:
members of the armed forces
House of Lords and House of Commons staff
some apprentices – although you should check your contract
some employees with fixed-term contracts before 1 October 2002 – you should check your contract of employment
domestic servants working in private homes who are members of the employer’s immediate close family
share fishermen paid only by a share in the proceeds of the catch
Crown servants or employees in a public office
employees of the government of an overseas territory'

taken from
Redundancy pay : Directgov - Employment

just a thought!

[Gnd]

Who hasn't thought it through? Not all of PPrune users are in unions (or think they are) and do their job for other than financial & personal gain.

The RN have seen the other problem off well by habitually buying their own houses. Mainly due to stability (I think there is a portion of Benson & Watisham in the same boat?) and with type basing, this will be the norm – depending if the NC ‘attempts’ to double base work - the Army will be East or West, the Navy will be South or West and the RAF (or whichever service takes them over) will be central for RW; FW will be spread if it isn't 'LEANED'??

So, employ the RN housing claims for MoD and see what happens in the shake up? It would help me so fingers crossed!!!

[Duncan D'Sorderlee]

http://www.earlyaeroplanes.com/archi...RAF_poster.jpg

Note the last sentence; I hope that it's still valid!

Duncs

[Jobza Guddun]

Why the assumption that the RAF wiil go? We could have AH, RN gets all the other Fisher-Price rotary, and we could have a 100,000 + RAF Regiment. We'll have Bruggen and Gutersloh back for their proper purpose, and put the tanks and cannons and tents at Valley, Marham and St Athan. Everybody will wear light blue, none of that green rubbish.

Sorted. Anyone else got a problem they want solving?

[Gnd]

Oink Oink 617 - clear take off!

[St Johns Wort]

The Best One Yet

On the M4 today at exactly 16:32 (proceeding in an easterly direction) I was listening to Radio Reading when the DJ announced the following

' The news today is that the Royal Air Force........our very own RAF is going to merge with........pause for dramatic effect .... THE FRENCH AIR FORCE'

Dear Lord this rumour is well and truly out of control!

[minigundiplomat]

The FAF[f]. Just about sums up the confusion our lords and masters have just kicked off.

[Army Mover]

Redundancy package ???

Handy link to calculate your redundancy payment here:

Do it Online : directgov

Hands up who thinks that in the current climate that anyone will get any more than this ???